Throwback Post: Now I'm the Teacher, Season 2

I'm sharing the final blog post I made on my personal blog a number of years ago. I wrote this blog in late August of 2017 and it's crazy to think that these children I mentioned from my first year as a teacher, are in like 2nd grade now. And I feel old already. This one is a short one, but I hope you still enjoy it. 

Yesterday, I concluded the first week of the new school year. If you've been following my journey, you probably know I'm working as a teacher in a 2-3 year old room. So at the beginning of the year, of course they are all toddlers. It's been an interesting transition for me as a teacher, giving up my threenagers who've grown so much over the past year for a new class of 2 year old toddlers brand new to school. So as you can guess, there were a lot of tears. From the children, from the parents, and yes, even from me. 

As this is my second year as a teacher, this also means it was my first time saying good-bye to a group of children I gave an entire year of my life to. And I said good-bye a week before the new year started and yet it didn't click until much later. It first started to click while I was sitting in the reading center with 2 children crying for their parents and I could see my kiddos from last year through the window, enjoying the new playground. Then it really hit at the end of the day when we crossed paths outside and five of my previous children ran up for cuddles, one of them even jumping into my arms like a monkey. And they asked me why I was still in their old classroom, why I hadn't changed rooms with them. That's when I lost it. The waterworks started in the car on my drive home. That was a hard moment. It was a moment of pride, knowing that they could handle whatever life throws them this year because I was a part of getting them to where they are now. But also a moment of fear, hoping that the teachers they have this year and in the future can provide them with the things I learned they need for success. Having experienced this the first time, I can't imagine what it must feel like for a veteran teacher to sit in the audience of a graduation ceremony for a high school senior they taught as a preschooler. It's hard to know they aren't your babies anymore, they are big kids, ready to take on the world. My boyfriend  actually told me on Monday as I was crying and we were on an outing for dinner, "Just imagine what it's going to be like when you have kids of your own!" 

I am excited and nervous to find out what this year holds for me. The benefit of being a part time teacher is that I was able to cut back on my hours 2 hours a day so I have extra time to work on my master's degree coursework. As I teach and study, I also continue to research and make a plan for my future. I know what I'd really like to do, but I'm just not sure how to get there. 

I hope to continue writing and updating my blog more frequently. So if you're new here, thank you for reading, if you've been here from the beginning, thank you for sticking around. Thank you for being a part of my journey. Keep reading, stay inspired!

Student Loans Dragging You Down? Same.

In the election of 2020, one of the hot button issues were Student Loans, and understandably so. According to an article I found on the topic, student loan debt has outgrown credit card debt by $780 billion. Yep, that's B-b-billion, with a B. And this debt affects 45 million borrowers in the US (13.6% of the US population). And I'm writing about this because, unfortunately, I am a part of that 13.6%. 

And the pandemic has been a roller coaster ride for most of us student loan borrowers for a number of reasons. Yes, the pause was an immense help, but it brought along some difficult decisions. During the payment pause, should borrowers continue to make payments and try to hack through the loans with larger interest while interest is paused? Or should they save that money and put it towards other necessary life expenses? If forgiveness is in the future, is it a waste of money to keep paying? Am I going to be swallowed alive when payments resume? 

Joseph Biden was popular among students for his loan forgiveness plans that he campaigned with. Ballotpedia cites his comments from a Medium post, "I propose to forgive all undergraduate tuition-related federal student debt from two- and four-year public colleges and universities for debt-holders earning up to $125,000, with appropriate phase-outs to avoid a cliff. The federal government would pay the monthly payment in lieu of the borrower until the forgivable portion of the loan was paid off. This benefit would also apply to individuals holding federal student loans for tuition from private HBCUs and MSIs." This was back when the campaign (and the pandemic) were going strong in 2020 and here we are, 2 years later where little has still been done and many loan holders are growing frustrated, especially amid the contract closings of the largest student loan servicers last year. 

As a loan borrower whom has had loans out for almost 10 years now and whom is diligently paying on them, I have some proposals of my own. I thought I might share them. Maybe Biden's team might find my thoughts as well (unlikely, but I can dream right).

Cap tuition costs. First things first, tuition costs (at least at Public Universities) have to be capped or we'll never get out of the cycle. In 20 years, the average cost of in-state tuition has tripled. But why? I am not a financial expert, but it seems that this rise cannot be simply because of inflation. The cost of tuition shouldn't rise much beyond what is expected with inflation. 

Don't bring back interest. Interest makes loans almost impossible to pay off because it's ever changing. When I bought a car, the interest was one simple calculation added on to the loan up front. It has not continued to grow the longer I have the loan. But that's how student loans work. And the interest is hefty, in some cases rivaling that of credit cards. And for what? Get rid of interest. If it becomes clear that certain individuals are not making the appropriate payments, then start adding interest to those accounts. But if people end up paying more in interest than they do on the original loan amount, it isn't sustainable. Where else can you pay down a balance to 0 and still accrue interest because you didn't "pay it off"?

Stop pushing the FAFSA. 

What I do know, is that the widespread availability of loans and how they are marketed to students likely contributes. When I was applying for colleges back in the 2010s, the FAFSA was advertised in such a way that made loans sound like free money. The popular show Adam Ruins Everything, originally from College Humor, even put out a PSA advertising the FAFSA, stating "every year students miss out on millions of dollars that could help them cover the cost of college", while flashing a statistic that specifies 20% of students miss out. What this PSA fails to mention is that while these millions of dollars help cover the cost of college, they will weigh you down for the rest of your life in the form of student loan debt. And the more money you can get from the FAFSA, the more universities feel obligated to charge.

Triage forgiveness to the groups who need it most. I think so far, Biden has made the right moves. He's forgiven the debt of disabled borrowers, and students defrauded by their university. But this 16 billion of forgiveness is just a drop in the bucket. There is still a long way to go, and a lot of borrowers struggling to stay afloat. Personally, I think the next step should be forgiven loans sequentially. Student loans first made their appearance in 1957, so students from that time until the 1970 should have their loans forgiven first. Then 1980, 1990, and so on. Some adults don't know of a life without a student debt and they deserve that freedom, arguably before the rest of us. But when the debt is reduced there, forgive it for borrowers who work in fields where they make around the minimum wage (thinking specifically teaching and nursing, but I'm sure there are others). Let's not even talk about preschool teachers... We're struggling over here, more than you even know.

Reward or Incentivize borrowers who have been making the payments. Life gets in the way and some borrowers let the responsibility of making payments fall to the back burner. And understandably so, you can lose all of your assets, and file for bankruptcy, but your loans will still be there on the other side. They don't go away. But for those of us who have made difficult decisions to stay on top of the payments, it seems unfair that we should be completely skipped over and treated the same in forgiveness. Students who have consistently made the payments should get a kickback for doing so. Students who have gone above and beyond to try to tackle the debt as fast as possible, should be rewarded even more. For many, we've had to make the choice between starting a life (getting married, buying a house, having children) and getting rid of the debt. Forgiving those who have chosen the latter first ensures that they can build a stable future. 

And of course, I'm one person and this is a very big problem. There are also plenty of people with more financial smarts than me who can help figure out a solution. But it often feels like the ones making such decisions aren't the ones living with this debt. I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere, but for now, the darkness stretches onward.

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you enjoyed the read, please share with your friends and be sure to check out my facebook, instagram, and youtube. If you'd like to support my virtual classroom, please check out some of my resources available at Buy Me a Coffee or my Teachers Pay Teachers store. And remember, your heart and your brain are the soul of teaching and learning!

Time for an Overhaul

My mom took this photo of me doing a virtual
read aloud.

About this time a year ago, I had just closed out my first week at a new job. Except that new job was running fully online. This time a year ago, we were in the very early stages of the pandemic and most places aside from essential businesses were closed, including many if not all schools and childcare centers. So, my job at a preschool was no exception. I actually posted a blog all about my experiences starting a new job while working from home and the anomaly that it was back at that time.

Unfortunately, I was only able to keep that particular position for a month, because when businesses across the state were given the okay to return to in-person business with the agreement to follow social distancing guidelines and wear masks, I made the personal decision to sit it out. I gave up the job I’d been longing for for so long out of an abundance of caution. And as the pandemic has continued on, I’ve stayed away from preschools. 

The childcare industry is struggling. And in all honesty, it always was. But throughout the past year, it’s gotten so much worse. Schools trying to correctly follow social distancing guidelines have not been able to take in as many children as they would typically have, and they have had to pay a lot to update facilities to meet these guidelines. Schools are having a hard time keeping teachers because they can’t pay them enough. And speaking from personal experience, I decided not to return to the classroom for a few different reasons: 

• Being high risk, I didn’t feel safe returning
• My favorite activities in preschool would be highly limited at best and presently non-existent at worse (dramatic play, blocks, art)
• The pay rate, which has me in the poverty level in my state, is not worth the anxiety and stress of being responsible for so many children at a time.  

Retrieved from: 
https://filmdaily.co/news/coronavirus-meme/

And in part, because I’ve been burned before, as I’ve been seeking other work, I’ve questioned if I ever want to return to the classroom. Because as I’ve learned, I can make basically the same pay rate with only one child as a full-time baby-sitter. And yes, after losing that job last year, I started looking into alternatives I could pursue with a degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development. And through a desperate post on Facebook, I was able to score my first job as a nanny. And while I’ve tried to use my “teacher” skills with in-home clients as well, and it’s definitely been a selling point for clients scheduling me, I’ve found that while my skills and knowledge in child development are certainly helpful, nannying is another beast entirely. 

 

I read an article a few months back, lamenting the frustrations of a nanny shortage. And it struck me as odd because that’s what I’d been doing at the time. And I had been desperate to find a family to nanny for before I finally found one. And it’s as I’ve navigated this “career change” that I’ve realized where some of these issues might be coming from. For starters, there are nanny laws. And I initially didn’t realize it, but if a family hires a nanny (which applies to any caretaker who makes more $2,300 a year), the family is considered an employer and the nanny an employee. In essence, the family is not my client, they are my employer. Which in most situations is a good thing. But these laws were not made with a pandemic in mind. When more people than ever are looking for safe and reliable in-home care for pets and children to lend an extra hand in working from home and schooling from home, these nanny laws, which are in place to protect me, are actually a hinderance. And many of these families only need a nanny a few days a week or full time for a month or two. But if they hit that financial threshold, they are now an employer, and their nanny should be receiving a W-2. I’ve been doing mental gymnastics myself trying to figure out how to manage this. And yes, technically it’s the family’s responsibility. But all the services available come from with a hefty price point. 

The dynamic in pandemic life is unusual, and the laws clearly weren’t written for such times. I really think every aspect of the childcare industry needs an overhaul and what was easy to brush under the rug before has been thrust into the limelight as a problem. Early Childhood Education needs more financial attention (it takes a village, and the earlier children are getting a high quality learning environment, the better). Teachers need better credentials, higher pay, and the acknowledgement of being professionals. And high quality childcare, whether you choose to send your child to a center or hire someone in-home needs to be more accessible for everyone, not just those who are more than financially comfortable. If we don’t start looking at this industry as necessary, it might not be there for us tomorrow. And after all, teachers are the backbone of every other industry. 

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you enjoyed the read, please share with your friends and be sure to check out my facebook, instagram, and youtube. If you'd like to support my virtual classroom, please check out some of my resources available at Buy Me a Coffee or my Teachers Pay Teachers store. And remember, your heart and your brain are the soul of teaching and learning!

Here Comes Amazon, Here Comes Amazon...

Image courtesy of https://logistics.amazon.com

            Right down my driveway. 

They've got a van that is filled with gifts 

that I ordered yesterday. 

I need to get better at shopping earlier, in years to come. 

Sorry if your gift is late, 

but happy holidays everyone! 

Hopefully you sang that in your head, if not aloud. I saw the first line on a T-shirt a few years back but I went ahead and finished the verse :) I'm quite proud of it.

I actually finished my main Christmas shopping last weekend so I'm on time! But this year has been insane, so its possible some of you still have last minute shopping to do. Maybe for children in your class, nieces and nephews, or maybe even some last minute gifts for your own family. I won't judge. 

But if you are still looking for some gift ideas for children, I thought I'd share some of my own tips. 

Dorm essentials make great Christmas gifts

Gift Buying Tip 1: Practical gifts are great too! Though new clothes aren't nearly as exciting to open under the tree on Christmas morning (though I'll always take socks, no lie), they are life necessities. For children who are still growing, having new clothes to grow into is great. For young adults in high school who've pretty much hit the end of their growth, it's time to start stocking up on clothes, linens, and furnishings that might be useful upon graduation. 

Gift Buying Tip 2: Avoid toys that have only one purpose. As cool as that children's remote control is that counts aloud when you press the buttons, it will get boring pretty quickly. And if it's just the buttons your child is interested in, odds are, you have an old remote control lying around somewhere you can just take the batteries out of. Skip out on the flashy toys that only do one thing. Instead, look for toys that can be used in various ways and can encourage imagination, which brings me to...

Image courtesy of 
https://www.amazon.com/
Small-Liter-Portable-Sand-
Tray/dp/B00K9ANWAQ

Gift Buying Tip 3: Look for "toys" that can be used in numerous ways. And I say toys in quotations because the perfect toy might not be a toy at all. In early childhood, the buzzword for this is "loose parts" but ultimately, it just consists of toys that can be used in numerous ways. Blocks, a sand tray (with a lid of course), beads, a simple metal dish set, crayons, and balls are all excellent choices. 

Gift Buying Tip 4: Shop based on the receivers developmental ability. Infants and toddlers need lots of sensory input so instruments and art sets are great options. Older toddlers are into dumping and filling and exploring how things work so embrace it! Older children are eager to learn but encourage it through their own interests. 

Image courtesy of 
https://www.melissaanddoug.com
/dust-sweep-mop/8600.html

Gift Buying Tip 5: Consider toys that help teach life skills. A baby doll helps children learn how to care for someone. A kitchen set helps children learn basic cooking skills, especially when parents model. Toy brooms and vacuums help children learn house keeping chores. Regardless of age or gender, toys like these teach living skills that everyone needs but they do so through play.

Gift Buying Tip 6: School supplies can be a great backup! Notebooks, crayons, markers, pencils, pens, textbooks (for young adults), and storage systems are useful. While younger children might not appreciate school supplies as much, young adults will really appreciate it. Even if it doesn't seem like it at the moment, they will come to see what a blessing it was, now they don't have to worry about buying new pencils. And to be honest, I would have loved if someone bought me a textbook I needed for Christmas. And finally...

Image courtesy of https://marinlibrary.org/
introducing-book-bundles-for-kids/

Gift Buying Tip 7: When in doubt, get a book! The more infants, toddlers, children, and young adults are exposed to books and printed text, the more successful they will be in life. Reading exposes us to language and language is an absolute must for success in life. 

Christmas Day is exactly a week from now at this point and I know I'm excited. If you would like to check out my Amazon Affiliate Shop, I have a few lists of my favorite toys and books. So you can check those out here and here. Here's to good luck as you finish your holiday shopping and preparations and hopefully this gives you some ideas that will inspire your last few trips!

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you enjoyed the read, please share with your friends and be sure to check out my facebook, instagram, and youtube. And if you would like to support my virtual classroom, you can do so by making any amazon purchases (at no extra cost to you) using my store link at https://amzn.to/3i5WjVD 

Where are the Ducks?

 

I need this image on a mask

Being an educator, this year is so odd. I’ve heard of teachers going back to school almost as normal, I’ve heard of teachers going back to school with half of their class online and half of their class face to face. I’ve heard of teachers going back with classrooms at half capacity and student desks spaced out to allow for the 6 feet apart rule to be followed, some even going so far as to have sneeze guards around the desks. And I’ve heard of some teachers working fully online. But the phenomena I’ve heard the most about, and the one that I feel a close connection to, are teachers who simply quit this year, deciding that the risks associated with returning to the classroom in the midst of a pandemic, simply weren’t worth it. 

I am among those who are not going back to the classroom this year. In part, this choice was made because I and some of my family members are at high risk for complications from the virus, so I just don’t want to put my loved ones at risk. In part, this is because I’m mildly paranoid. I’ve had sinus and respiratory problems in the past and they’ve hit me like a ton of bricks. And I can’t imagine Covid would be much different. So I decided back in April that if this virus wasn’t under control by the start of the new school year, I would be sitting this year out. 

What a read aloud looks like on Facebook 
live. My family quite enjoyed it too!
Photo Credit: Ginger Futch

And that was definitely a difficult decision to make. I quit a job in February for one that I hoped would be a better fit for my strengths and needs as an educator. And because of the initial lockdown that started in March, I was furloughed before I even started my new position. Thankfully in April, I was able to start with my new school teaching online through a private Facebook group. And I’ve talked about that experience in my blog, Always a Teacher. But unfortunately, when I decided it wasn’t yet safe for me to return to the classroom for summer camp, I once again found myself without a teaching job. 

Being without work was so difficult. I’ve already been through periods without work and I was dreading having to live like that again. And sitting on the couch with nothing to do, no homework to complete, no students to teach, I felt pretty useless. And teaching is one of those professions that just doesn’t have very many online opportunities. I briefly tried online ESL teaching (that’s a story for another day), and I nannied for about two months. But still I find myself wondering, what am I doing with my life?

I’m at a point where I feel this extended furlough period (even though I don’t have a business I’m technically furloughed from) might be good for me. Because the fact of the matter is, I went into the teaching profession with no intentions of being a teacher. And I’m sure you’re looking at the screen right now, wondering if you actually read that correctly. And yes, you did. Aside from playing school as a child, I never intended on teaching in the typical sense: in a classroom. I don’t fit into the mold of a classroom teacher, and this much I’ve known since before I even started my professional career. But when you study to be a teacher at the college level, they only train you for a career as a classroom teacher. Granted, I think understanding how children learn and what best practice looks like is a crucial part to becoming a teacher so the degree in education is important (more on that another time). I am an educator at heart, I always have been, and I always will be, but I do not see myself as a standard teacher. And I have even shared the whole process of choosing a major in Why Am I Here. So, since graduating, I’ve done a lot of hopping around from school to school and I’ve yet to really find my niche. 

But right now, I can’t school hop. I’m stuck at home. I can pick up odd jobs here and there doing random childcare jobs, including subbing in a local learn and play studio. But I cannot do what is typically thought of as “teaching”. All of that being said, in order to keep my sanity, I’ve been exploring options, really soul-searching for what I want out of this career. My heart truly is in education, I cannot separate myself from it, but I’ve pulled so many experiences from various places, it has shaped what I am as an educator, what I can be, and what I want to be. 

I may have no idea what kind of
teacher I want to be, but everything
relates, so I've got that going for me

But Corona virus has thrown all of that out the window. Now that I literally cannot teach in a classroom, it’s forcing me to find other outlets, to explore what else I am good at. I’m researching other avenues where I can still use my knowledge of child development and learning in new ways. I’m exploring YouTube and what I can do there. I’ve tried nannying and tutoring. And I’m looking into the ins and outs of running a business. I have a dream to open a learning studio where education happens through the arts and play. I’ve looked into play therapy, behavior therapy, educational therapy, and museum education. And all of my experiences in these areas has certainly shaped who I am. But I keep coming back to the learning studio. 

I’m not saying I’m ready to ditch the classroom altogether. If the opportunity arises for me to safely return to a school, I probably will. But I’m now confident enough to be able to continue to push forward. Because I believe education can be more than what our school system has become. And I can be a part of that change. 

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you enjoyed the read, please share with your friends and be sure to check out my facebook, instagram, and youtube. And if you would like to support my virtual classroom, you can do so by making any amazon purchases (at no extra cost to you) using my store link at https://amzn.to/3i5WjVD 

Throwback Post: First Year Teacher?! Me? Really? (November 2016)

Caption from the original instagram post: "I just turned in the last item 
tying me to MOSI. I'm literally standing between the old (MOSI) and the 
new (preschool) with the sound of rushing traffic below me drowning 
out the sound in my headphones. I'm still scared and feeling overwhelmed. 
But I'm on my next great adventure. This isn't the destination, 
it's just part of the journey.
 #adultingishard #teacher#adventure #findyourself

It's crazy to think that four years ago, I was starting my very first job in a real school classroom. I had just finished my final internship that previous spring and I was hired as a VPK assistant teacherin the same school I interned with the very next fall. Making the choice to work full time as a preschool teacher meant cutting ties with the very first official job I had in education. The decision had been hard to make. I loved what I did at the museum but a lot had changed over the years, and it really was time for a change. But teaching in such an atmosphere, an interactive museum for all ages, made me hesitant to go out into the world and find a job in a school.

Preschool turned out to be a good fit for me. And I found with each passing year, the younger my age group, the more I found my strengths. And to this day, I can honestly say I don't have a preference for age, there are things I love about every age. But it's crazy to see how far I've come from that first year. Especially as I've had such ups and downs since then. Including making the choice to stay out of the classroom amidst the pandemic.

So, here is a glimpse into the past: my first year as a credentialed teacher. *For the sake of transparency, the original post had no images! I've added some in so it's not so blah

I mean, who would have thought? I actually made it through the Early Childhood Education Program and only lost a bit of my sanity. My physical body and my mental capacity are still otherwise intact! But in all honesty, this is never where I expected to be. Yes, I've heard it before: "an education major who doesn't want to teach?!" I never intended to be in a classroom. If you've stuck it out with me since I first started this blog almost 5 years ago, you probably know my intentions in choosing Early Childhood. Since high school, I've wanted to do Dance Therapy and Early Childhood Education (or Special Education) made the most sense to me as far as how to accomplish those goals. And somewhere in the middle, I discovered a passion for Museum Education with my first real job. So, despite my major, I never saw myself teaching in a classroom. 

And yet, here I am. I checked out a few schools over the summer because I came to the realization early on that a big part of finding a job is understanding that I'm there to interview the employer to find the best fit just as much as they are interviewing me for the same reasons. And I found a few schools and got a few offers that were promising but didn't quite have the best fit. However, I got a job offer from the school where I completed my final internship as an assistant teacher and I took it. I wanted to have classroom experience, even if it's not what I see myself doing as a professional in the long term.

Being a first-year teacher hasn’t really felt all that different to me. Ultimately, I guess it's because I'm at the same school I completed my internship in; even when the job was offered to me, I was told I would be doing pretty much the same thing I did last semester except this time I’d be paid for it. So, in a way, I still feel like an intern. There wasn’t a grand and glorious transition like I expected. It was easy. I left the school after my internship for the summer and came back a few months later no longer the intern.

I started out at the beginning of the year in VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten, if you don't know) which is teaching 4 and 5 year olds in their final year before Kindergarten. Circumstances ended up placing me in a 2-year-old classroom a month or so into the school year so I've been the 2-year-old assistant teacher for a little over a month now. And as far as preschool goes, I think I've found my niche. I've never had experience with 2s before now but let me tell you, I just love this age in a way I never thought I would. My mother personally thought I was crazy. But I can't help it. The love in that classroom, the wonder, the chants, dancing, singing, and signing all just light up my world. I still have my struggles and I'm still learning but who isn't? 

We were practicing identifying letters with a 
hot cocoa and marshmallow matching game.
I was so proud when he recognized the letter
A and signed it to me.

Now that I am happy in a classroom and the future in this position looks promising, I can't help but still think what happens next. By December, I will have graduated for real this time and I will have a minor in American Sign Language. I would love to keep working towards fluency in American Sign Language but I know I will lose the motivation to use the language when I am no longer immersed in class. I would also love to make use of my second language knowledge in the classroom, but again, I'm not quite sure how to do that. I know there are preschools that use a bilingual program, but I'm not aware how they do that. In addition, there are so many wonderful museums around me and if a position ever became available related to Early Education I can't say I wouldn't be interested in applying for them. And while I work, I'm continuing to explore my options in graduate programs for expressive arts therapy. 

I'm to a point in my life where I have a pretty good idea what my passions are and I have a pretty good idea of what my strengths are, it's just a matter of combining them in a way that makes an optimal career. And I must always remember that I never stop learning. For now, I shall continue asking the children around me what they want to be when they grow up. You know, because I’m still looking for ideas. 

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

The Princess Problem?

 1 T'was the night before the first school day and all in my brain

my thoughts are running wild, thinking "are we insane?!"

The doctors have said, "it's too early to go back"

But nonetheless we all must have our backpacks all packed.

A professor at Yale warns, "people may die!"2

"But what about the economy!" other folks cry.

In case you couldn't tell, my opinions on the matter of reopening is that it's way too soon. I was of this mindset a month ago, and I really haven't budged. A month ago, I thought the better approach to getting students back to school was putting time and energy figuring out how to make e-learning more successful, and I still feel as though this were the better approach. But now, seeing as though certain populations really do need the face-to-face interaction, (i.e., early childhood to age 8 and special education, maybe a few more), I believe that those students and those students alone should return to school in pods of no more than 5. Everyone else would be virtual. Because honestly, most parents and teachers I've talked to are giving it a month before schools are forced to close their doors again and we'll all go back to our less than stellar e-learning system. That will inevitably crash every day because everybody is trying to use the same system...

But enough about that, I'm just beating a dead horse and nobody is even paying attention to that horse so I might as well move on to a better story: 

For the privacy of the children,
this is just my princess photo.

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Westchase, there lived three princesses. And each of these three princesses had special powers. The eldest two had the power to transform into mermaids at will, keeping the oceans safe from alligators, snakes, and pirates. The eldest had fire power, the middle had ice power, and the youngest of the three had the power of super-senses, and the ability to manipulate the air and earth around her. 

Princesses have had a pretty bad rap over the years. Back in 2016, an article in the journal Child Development3 was even published on a study of the relation between children's engagement with Disney Princesses and gender-stereotypical behavior, body esteem, and care for others in early childhood. And reading through the findings, it doesn't look good for our favorite princesses. For girls, gender-stereotypical behavior was shown to increase, while body esteem and prosocial behaviors were virtually unaffected.

Princess Cupcakes: Just like 
regular Funfetti cupcakes, 
except made with Greek Yogurt 
instead of eggs and oil. 

But here's the thing: while I let the girls explore plenty of stereotypical activities, like dressing up in character ballgowns, wearing tiaras and jewelry, and going to balls, we had a conversation. Now I did have them help cook (which could be seen as stereotypical). But while cooking, they practiced taking turns. We talked about how princesses may have special treats sometimes, but they also have to eat healthy. We talked about how princesses are kind to others and considerate of feelings. We practiced being leaders, taking a stand when wronged, and protecting our people when in danger (from pirates and alligators of course). We read books about princesses being true to themselves, even when others try to dictate their lives for them. We even watched a few videos on YouTube such as the Princess Alphabet, building a fairy face, and unicorn counting (Side note: I thought content created for children on YouTube didn't qualify for AdSense...)

Counting Jewels: some hand drawn
with glitter gel pen, others are stickers

Maybe I'm building in to the stereotypes to an extent. But if Princesses are an area of interest, I'm definitely going to make the most of it. Especially seeing that the same problems often exist with superheroes for boys. I think the biggest aspect of avoiding Princess Stereotypes is to emphasize the most important part of almost every princess story we see: be true to yourself. The clothes, the riches, the special powers, are definitely something plenty of girls dream about (I still think it'd be cool to be a mermaid; my love of fantasy didn't stop with Disney princesses after all. Oh, and I've been reading the Princess Diaries and Mia is just so...I think I'm actually reading my biography). But Ariel was true to herself by exploring and adventuring to learn more. Belle was true to herself by having her "nose stuck in a book", valuing knowledge, putting family first, and valuing character over beauty. Jasmine and Merida both stood up for themselves rather than sticking with outdated and harmful "tradition". Rapunzel let nothing stop her from having a dream and making it come true. 'Cinder'Ella stayed kind despite adversity from her step mother's family, and she knew the value of hard work. And Anna, a stereotypical romantic, didn't let the opinions and judgement of others keep her from being herself. And yes, there will be girls like Anna, who are also much like me. Look out for those girls because putting down the princesses may also have the consequences of making them feel less than (I've lived it. No, I'm not in STEM. Yes, I like Princesses and fairy tales. No, that doesn't make me less of a feminist).

Princess Soup: Basically a smoothie made
with yogurt, strawberries, banana, and a 
splash of chocolate milk. Served in a bowl,
topped with strawberries, with dip-able
Oreo sticks on the side.

I could go on, but I'll leave it here so you can enjoy pictures. Princess culture can indeed be harmful, I won't lie. But I think there's a right and a wrong way to address it. From my experience, more harm comes from those who make assumptions of children who engage in princess culture than the princess culture itself. The 2016 study on princesses found that "princess engagement was not associated with higher levels of prosocial behavior," and that "girls do not appear to be picking up on these themes."3 But that just tells me that it's OUR job to make those messages, that there is more to being a princess than beauty and riches, clear to young children (and this goes with boys and the stereotypes of superheroes too). 

So let the children pretend to have ice powers or super strength, let them dress up in ballgowns and jewelry or capes and masks. But use those characters that children love to empower. How to be a leader. How to be a change-maker. How to make the world safer. How to determine right and wrong without your own opinions and feelings getting in the way. That "you control your destiny - you don't need magic to do it."4

Though you may be a princess and eat PB&J shaped
like a tiara, you still must eat fruit and vegetables

Practicing patterns with gemstone stickers. 

Miss Haley

❤&🧠

1. Cox, P.F. (Producer), Rabins, S. (Producer), Adamson, A. (Director), & Jenson, V. (Director). (2001). Shrek. [Motion Picture]. United States: DreamWorks.

2. Firozi, P. (2020, August 20). A Yale professor's stark warning to returning students: Be prepared for deaths. Retrieved August 28, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/08/20/yale-coronavirus-warning/

3. Coyne, S. M., Linder, J. R., Rasmussen, E. E., Nelson, D. A., & Birkbeck, V. (2016). Pretty as a Princess: Longitudinal Effects of Engagement With Disney Princesses on Gender Stereotypes, Body Esteem, and Prosocial Behavior in Children. Child Development, 87(6), 1909-1925. doi:10.1111/cdev.12569

4. Sarafian, K. (Producer), Andrews, M. (Director), & Chapman, B. (Director). (2012). Brave. [Motion Picture]. United States: Pixar Animation Studios.